


Confession

by vsnow



Series: Grindeldore One-Shots [13]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Friendship, M/M, Talking about past loves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-03-08 05:07:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18887773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vsnow/pseuds/vsnow
Summary: "Confession is a relief I am told, a great weight lifted."The first true chat Dumbledore and McGonagall had that would seal their lifelong friendship.





	Confession

**A/N:** _I went through a very older fanfic “Rewriting Stars” and cringed a lot. It was the first thing I wrote for the pair. Ended up delating it (even though it’s still there in Tumblr space and ff.net). There were two chapters I really liked and so I used they as a base and added a bit to them to make them one-shots._

~*~

Albus Dumbledore had been working at Hogwarts now for over a decade. He loved teaching. He hoped he had followed the footsteps of the teachers he had gravitated to in his youth, the kind of instructor who so obviously loved their craft. He hoped his passion for the subject would be contagious and his students would begin to fall in love with it too.

Gellert Grindelwald was still on the rise. Albus had been fairly successful in avoiding to think of the other man. Still, every now and then he would glance at the morning newspaper to be met with his face.

_Does he regret the path he has chosen for himself?_

Not only did Albus wonder this in regards to the other, it was often a question that ran through his own mind.

Regret.

How Albus’ regret came in many forms.

But there was no time to think of that. The defense against the dark arts professor was going to retire and he had taken on the position. The Hogwarts headmaster had hired a young witch to take his place as transfiguration professor. She would work under him for the time being, taking on some classes so that he could prepare the transition. She had attended Hogwarts herself, Albus remembered. She was a brilliant witch who seemed perfect for the role.

And her name was Minerva McGonagall.

Albus felt a bit saddened to leave the position, but perhaps defense against the dark arts suited him better in the current climate.

Minerva had worked at the ministry for two years after graduation. One day something had compelled her to send her resume to Hogwarts.

Albus learned in the first few weeks of working together that she was a very secretive woman. Other than her name and accomplishments he felt he knew nothing about her.

Not that he could speak on openness, as he was not quite one to share either. Over the years he had learned that often actions speak louder than the spoken word. Besides speaking of oneself often leads to gossip.

Minerva was firm yet fair with the students. And it was evident that she enjoyed her craft just as much as Albus did. 

After every day, once classes had ended, the witch would excuse herself and go back to her chamber, emerging only to eat and teach. For being still so young in his eyes, Albus was surprised she did not seem to leave campus.

After not too long McGonagall took over more than half of his classes, easily phasing out the old department head.

Albus was pleased for her and he gladly took the extra time for himself. He used the majority of it preparing new and relevant lessons. He wished to make sure his students could protect themselves should anything happen. Month by month he felt the looming power of Grindelwald grow, his name and deeds becoming a familiar cover for the papers.

Albus feared he would not be able to protect those students he taught, not on his own.

He was part of the reason they needed to be protected in the first place.

_What if…_

All the time he questioned the past, what could have happened differently. Could anything have changed this future?

One night Albus sat at his desk in his quarters, indulgently glancing at the current news. With a large stretch he looked out the window. When had it become evening? He had missed dinner, and even more importantly dessert.

The man stood, he had already sat for so long. A nice stroll through the old halls was in order.

Students were already supposed to have returned to their common rooms at this hour. Yet still some had managed to sneak out.

 _Oh to be young._ Albus couldn’t help but smile. He himself had not been immune to sneaking out of the dorms at night. Of course he would always find his way to the library, something that could hardly be considered a rebellious act.

The students did not seem bothered by the professor’s presence. Instead they only seemed to understand with a look that it was time to return to the dorms for the night. He did not have to say a word.

But not everyone was so compliant, two in particular caught the professor’s attention.

“Don’t get into trouble.” He warned, a twinkle in his eye, “The night can seduce young minds to do things they would not normally.”

“We won’t get into mischief.” One of the students replied, hiding something behind their back.

“At least not too much.” The other laughed conspicuously.

“If there is another dungbomb left on the stairs and they find out I didn’t scold you I will get in trouble. Would you want that?”

“No.” The first student’s face fell, hand dropping from behind their back to reveal just what he had thought.

“Hand it over.”

And they did.

“Now head on.” He ushered them gently.

They ran away, both calling out in unison, though there was still a tinge of disappointment in their tone, “Goodnight, professor.”

“Goodnight.” He called back.

With a deep breath of fresh air that had flown in through the window, Albus carried on his stroll. As he walked he hummed to himself a little toon. Soon he found himself to be near his old classroom. Feeling nostalgic he checked the door. It was locked for the night… not that that stopped him. With a flick of his hand the lock opened from inside.

As he entered he heard a sniffle.  From the nearly dark room he could see a figure sitting alone at one of the desks.

Albus approached, “Good Evening.” He greeted calmly.

The figure seemed to shrink even lower, ashamed to be caught in such a state, they continued to cry.

Upon approaching he found it to be ….Minerva.

“Ms. McGonagall?” It was a surprise to see the woman in such a state, “Whatever happened?” He knelt down by the desk, taking out a handkerchief from his vest pocket.

Minerva wiped her eyes with her hand, taking the piece of cloth gladly placing it against her running nose.

With a few shaky deep breaths she tried to speak, “Dougal has married.” She did not particularly care that Albus would not know who she was speaking of. She just needed to speak. Unfortunately hearing the name caused more tears to well in her eyes.

Albus stilly waited by her side as she regained her composure.

The woman finally continued, “I feel an almost physical pain for an emotion I did not know I still held, the pain of being in love with a person I cannot be with. He was a muggle. He asked me to marry, and in my heart and aloud I said ‘yes’. But within a day’s time I told him, ‘no’. I have seem what it is like to hide magic, my mother did it. It was only because of me that she told my father. I saw how it affected them, their marriage. I would never be able to hide it from Dougal in the same way.” She sniffed once more, “I know it is for the best, but deep down I wish-” She bitterly chuckled to herself, fresh tears filled her eyes as she went on, “Like a fool I kept all of his old letters hidden in a box. But it is still better than keeping my magic hidden away.” She took a breath to steady herself, “Recently I received an owl from my former superior at the ministry. He meant well. I never told a soul about Dougal. That’s when I found out… he has married.” She turned away from the professor, blowing her nose, “Sorry for all this talk. My father was a minister, he always used to tell me that confession lifts a great weight from the soul.”

_Oh to be young… and to feel love’s keen sting._

“That’s quite alright. Truly, I understand.”

“You?” She turned, finding herself extremely comfortable speaking with this man. Feeling both born anew from her tears and head foggy from them as well, she felt freed to speak to him so casually, “I’m sorry, she must have been brilliant to catch your eye.”

 _Brilliant._ Albus smiled, “Unfortunately yes.” He remembered the headlines, “Though currently known for using that brilliance for terrible deeds, things I cannot stand by.”

Minerva blinked, wondering, “Who is she?”

Albus stood, walking to his old desk.

“I-I’m sorry.” The youthful witch said, clutching the handkerchief close, coming to her senses to realize who she was speaking with.

There on the desk, as he was sure was on the minds of all the professors, the news. It was the same paper he had been reading just hours earlier.

He picked it up.

_Confession is a great weight lifted from the soul._

It was really unlike him, sharing or taking trust in any manner of ministers’ word.

Maybe this young professor’s openness had sparked something within him, or maybe he was still younger than he thought and the night caused him to think recklessly. Albus walked back over to her, placing the paper before her on the desk.

It was a wordless confession, the only he could manage.

Minerva looked down at it, scanning the front page, it held only one major story.

She was a bright witch indeed, realizing quickly, “He.”

Albus spoke the name he had known the man by so long ago, “Gellert-“

Minerva finished with all she knew, “-Grindelwald.” Covering her mouth almost instantly, “That was rude of me.” She said, embarrassed for having cut him off in such a way.

“That’s quite alright.” He attempted to laugh, but it did not come out right.

“That is why they question you so.” Minerva pieced together aloud, “I knew there was something more.”

“Truthfully, I’m not sure they know what to question me for.”

It was then she realized how special this interaction she was having must be, what kind of trust had been placed with her, “Do you still care for him-” Though the question was asked toward Dumbledore himself, he had an inkling that she was also referencing her own loss of love, a wondering if she would even come to truly forget the pain she felt for Dougal,  “-after everything?”

He weighted his words, “There is perhaps a fondness for some people that leave our lives that does not fade with time.”

Minerva looked to his eyes, she found there a wisdom that could only be born from a life lived. All the joy and pain, accomplishments and disasters, it was all reflected there.

“But-“ Albus continued, “Life moves forward and we continue to learn and grow, to find ourselves anew.”

The words were a comfort. He did not present her with false hopes, the words were realistic. Minerva knew this would pass. She would be able to put those memories and letters in the past and out of her mind. Even still, even after Dougal, it would not be the end. She would cry more, struggle on, and face tragedy of different kinds. That was life. But Dumbledore only reminded her of the knowledge that she was resilient. Something she already knew herself. She would continue to rise from anything that tried to push her down.

Minerva had not realized when, but she had stopped sniffling, only remnants of tears had dried on her face.

“Now.” Albus let out a breath, bringing himself back to the moment, “Let me make you some tea and we shall sneak some desserts from the great hall. You can tell me more about your father. Your face seemed to glow when you spoke of him.”

Minerva was astounded he had noticed, “Only if you tell me of your family as well.”

“Deal”, He tossed her a friendly wink.

The young woman smiled.

She could not know for sure, but she somehow felt that she had made a lifelong friend in this man.


End file.
